battalion "INDBATT-2" defending their Kiwanja base against M23, July
25)
***
Radio Okapi is reporting that, breaking the lull observed these past
few weeks on the frontline, the M23 staged a major tactical event
north of Kiwanja.
The event took place from the morning of Thursday, August 23, till the
evening of Friday, August 24.
Radio Okapi sources didn't provide the number of casualties--if there were any.
Other sources tell Radio Okapi that M23 had attempted to skirt the
FARDC and were repelled up to the town of Mabenga, about 18 km north
of Kiwanja.
As in most media reports, Radio Okapi doesn't provide a map of troops'
positions and movements.
The report further says that none of the FARDC senior officers at
Mabenga could confirm or deny the incident.
But what's certain is that for the first time road traffic between
Kiwanja and Kanyabayonga has been cut off--grounding merchandise
trucks heading southward towards Goma.
The report concludes:
"A precarious calm was observed since the morning of Saturday, August
25, in the town of Mabenga and the inhabitants, who have fled in the
bush, have started to return to their village."
(Page Address: radiookapi.net/actualite/2012/08/25/nord-kivu-des-affrontements-auraient-oppose-les-fardc-au-m23-kiwanja/)
***
Reading this report, a number of observations come to mind.
FIRSTLY, this report is credible.
Radio Okapi has reliable military sources within MONUSCO in the area.
SECONDLY, what's baffling in the report is that there's no mention at
all of the role--if any--played by the MONUSCO Indian Brigade Battle
Group Battalion INDBATT-2 based at Kiwanja.
This professional warlike battalion has several Infantry Combat
Vehicles (ICVs) it can deploy in the theater, with a follow-up of
search-and-destroy Quick Action Teams (QAT) on foot it can unleash in
no time.
Furthermore, INDBATT-2, like the rest of the Indian brigade deployed
in North Kivu, can count on air support from the MONUSCO Indian
Aviation Contingent-III (IAC-III) that has a number of gunships in the
area.
THIRDLY, in the past couple of years, the Indian contingent has
suffered a number of casualties at the hands of armed groups in the
area.
One such major incident, with INDBATT-2 at the receiving end, took
place in mid-August 2010 when about 50 Mai-Mai armed with machettes
stormed the MONUSCO outpost of Kirumba (near Mabenga), killing 3
Indian peacekeepers.
The most recent Indian casualty occurred on July 5, when an INDBATT
blue helmet was caught in a cross-fire between FARDC and M23 at
Bunagana.
If anything, Indian peacekeepers have an axe to grind with M23 and
other armed groups.
Therefore, there's no way INDBATT-2 would sit by and let dangerous
attackers run amok in their midst.
FIFTHLY, a slight change of mandate of MONUSCO troops deployed in the
North Kivu happened recently. They've now been mandated to interdict
any M23 progression towards Goma.
What's more, most recent press reports give a skewed version of
troops' positions in the area.
While it's true that some M23 are perilously close to Goma, this
report shows that Kiwanja, at 70 km north of Goma, is still in the
hands of FARDC and MONUSCO.
However, early this month, British photojournalist Phil Moore saw the
forest area around Kiwanja and Mabenga teeming with M23--especially
along the River Rwindi that runs nearby.
So what were the M23 up to at Kiwanja?
Why come so near Kiwanja, where MONUSCO has a solid foothold and where
FARDC have moved in after M23 withdrawal?
And, more importantly, why this move northward where they'd likely
encounter tough resistance--including from hostile local militias?
Were M23 prodding the resolve of INDBATT-2 or of the FARDC?
Was this some kind of a diversionary maneuver gone awry?
Was the move meant to tighten the noose on Goma?
I don't know what this wasteful tactical maneuver staged by M23 really means.
What it demonstrates, however, is the equally wasteful defensive
"status quo" option the FARDC are taking.
Be that as it may, INDBATT-2 or the still imaginary "neutral force"
won't fight all the battles of FARDC.
***
PHOTO CREDITS: © MPIO-NKB
Via: monusco.org
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